Retributive Justice at Its Best!
It is a fact that Sierra Leone’s 11 year war was referred to as an act of civil butchery.
The war which came to an end in 2002 has left many homes in disarray and unending poverty. Of course, it is to the resolve of Sierra Leoneans that perpetrators must be brought to book or made to reconcile with victims as prescribed in the Truth and Reconciliation report.
Despite widespread sensitization on issues of acts of vengeance, the spate of attacks, especially in the interior, suggests that the Truth and Reconciliation report has been abandoned and apparently kept on dusty shelves of successive governments.
That governments have ignored the implementation of recommendations as officially endorsed in transitional justice advocacy books.
A case in point is the unfortunate and uncalled for attack on Joseph Gandhi Sisay, who incidentally is the son of AFRC junta strong man, Pa Lumpri Sisay.
It is also reported that experiences of reprisals continues to befall homes linked to militias and juntas of Sierra Leone’s finished war.
As relatives and friends intensify their search for Joseph and other members of his family, it is reported that the entire family abandoned their homes and went to distant countries for solace.
And it is also revealed that victims of the scourges of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) are desperately bent on barking the hell out of the Sisay family, whose dad, Mr. Lumprie Sisay, was real time member of the forenamed junta government and was in fact their public liaison officer.
The AFRC, in 1997, forcefully took over governance from former President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah in a coup-d’état.
Disgruntled junior military officers were appointed to key positions and have instinctively seen themselves as rendering better services to people of Sierra Leone.
Joseph Gandhi Sisay’s father served the AFRC as one its public relation officers from start to finish.
He was with those soldiers that flee to the bush after being removed from governance by ECOMOG forces.
The AFRC, while in governance, rendered disservices to Sierra Leoneans consequently leading to serialized atrocities and carnages caused.
Pa. Lumprie who later metamorphosed into becoming a member of the SLPP, was widely known for his instrumental role during periods of AFRC rule.
He was neither encouraged nor given any rest by members of SLPP at all.
In 1994, there was an attempt by Pa Lumprie to assist the SLPP in their local election campaigns, but was singled out and in the process dealt with. His son was kidnapped and brutally manhandled to the point of death.
On his recovery, he revealed to his family that his assailants are out to kill all of them.
It was then that all including Joseph, took to their heels for safer destinations unknown to society.
Human Rights groups have also added their voices to forestall retributive justice in society.
It could be recalled that the office of National Commission for Social Action (NACSA) in 2010, was with one of AFRC commanders, General Savage, to Tombodu Town in Kono District to enable him reconcile with indigenes for atrocities caused, but never at all allowed.
Sources say he was chased out of the town by the indigenes.
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